San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-05-17
The Three Strangers,
BY THOMAS H,RDY.


the space OF two or three minutes the
room on the grOund-fOOr was deserted
quite.
But it was not for long. Hardly had
the sound of footsteps died away when
a man returned round the corner of the
house from the direction the pursuers
had taken. Peeping in at the door and
seeing nobody there he entered leisure
ly. II was the stranger of the chimney
corner, who had gone out with the rest.
The motive of his return was shown by
his helping himself to a cut piece of
skimmer-cake that lay on ledge be-
side where he had sat, and which he
had apparently forgotten to take with
him. He also poured out half a cup
more from the quantity that remained,
ravenOusly eating and drinking these
as he stood. lie had not finished when
another figure came in just as quietly
the stranger in cinder-gray.
'Oh-yOu here?" said the latter,
smiling. ~ thought you had gone to
help in the capture" And this speaker
also revealed the object of his return by
looking solicitously round for the fas-
cinating mug of old mead.
And thought you had gone." said
the other, continuing his skimmer-cake
with some effort.
well, on second thoughts, | felt
there were enough without me- said
the first confidentially, land such
night as it is, too. Besides. it is the
business o. the government to take care
of its criminals-not mine"
True; so it is. And felt as you did,
that there were enough without me-"
II don't want to break my limbs run
ming over the Jumps and hOllows of this
wild country"
Nor neither, between you and me-"
''These shepherd people are used to it
supplemented souls, you know, stir
red up to anything III moment.
Iheyll have him ready for me before
the morning, and no trouble to me at
ALL
They'll have him, and we shall have
saved ourselves all labor in the matter"
True, true. Well, my way is to Cas-
terbridge; and It's as much as my legs
will do to take me that far. Going the
same wayr"
mo, am sorry to say. have to get
home over there The nodded Indefinite
" to the right land l feel as you do,
that 1t is quite enough for my legs to
do before bedtime" =,
The other had by this time finished
the mead In the mug, after which, shak-
ing hands at the door, and wishing each
other well, they went their several
ways.
In the meantime the company OF pur-
suers had reached the end OF the hogs
back elevation which dominated TINS
part OF the cOomD. Ihey had DECIDED
on no particular plan OF actlon; ana
hndlng that the man OF the balerul trade
was no longer In their COMPANY, theY
seemed quite unaDie 10 FORM any Sucn
plan now; Ihey deScenueu IN an d.
rections down the hin, and straightway
several OF the party fell into the snare
set by nature for all misguided mid
night rambles over the lower cretaceous
formation; The "lynchets," or hint
slopes, which belted the escarpment at
intervals OF dozen yards, TOOK the less
cautious ones unaWares,and losing their
roofing on the ruDDly steep, they Sllu
sharply DOWNWARD, the lanterns rolling
from their hands TO the bottom, ana
there lying on their SIDES I'LL the norm
was scorched through, Wneh tney nau
again gathered themselves together, the
shepherd, as the man VINO knew the
country best, TOOK the lead, ana guided
Them round THESE treacherouS lhcllhes'
Inc lanterns, Whlch seemed lather 10
uazZle tnelf eyes am warn the luBlClNe
Than TO assist them IN the exploration
were e&tlngulsleu, que SILENCE was Cd
served, and III TINS more rational order
they plunged into the vale. IL was a
grassy, Drlafy, moist channel, ailordlng
some shelter TO any person VINO had
sought 1t; but the party peramDulated,
it in vain, and assembled on the other
side. Here they wandered apart, and